It's about time for an update, wouldn't you say? So this is how it's been for the past little while.

I hung out for a few days with my cousin and we did the two gals on the town (no parents in sight) thing, except it wasn't really on the town so much as in the village or on the campsite. I learned that I like sleeping on the ground more than most normal people, and that batteries work better when they're not in a completely different city than the object they are meant to be in. I also finished embroidering 1 1/2 pillowcases during my vacation and read about seven "new" books (more than once, because that's how many I had access to, but it's still better than the past few months have been, book-wise).

Then I went back to the old place (not the apartment, but the location of it) and stayed with M and husband for a few days while going to rehearsals. Other than seeing them again, the best part of the trip was that I have a new orchestra story! We played Pirates of the Carribean (among other things) and V and I got it into our heads that it would be fun to be pirates while playing it, so we bought pirate bandannas. *grin* At the dress rehearsal, it turned out to be the last piece of the day, so we waited until the opening few bars (which were conveniently rests) and "discreetly" donned our pirate disguises. A few people noticed. rotfl. It was SO much fun. A great way to round out my official last concert. Also in honour of that, I was given a giant card and a lovely coffee-table chocolate recipe book, which I am going to enjoy very much! I'm sure the cannons and fireworks in the 1812 overture were strictly for my benefit as well. *wink*

I got back with everything except my sneakers (sorry M and husband!) and started work. I worked for a week, and can't tell you much about it because work is generally confidential. My co-articling student seems very nice and we are getting along great. I'm still adapting to sleeping at night and getting up in the morning, so I will be out of touch for awhile longer until I get the hang of it.

Last piece of news is that SuperSis is getting into town! In a few hours! I can't wait.  - posted by Purple Mangos @ 11:07 p.m. @ 

 
After playing 1812, I have decided that I would like a cannon for my birthday. *grin*

(There were fireworks, too!)  - posted by Purple Mangos @ 10:41 p.m. @ 

 
My last course is officially over! At least, I think it is. They're slow on getting the official word out. At any rate, I celebrated the end of the course last Thursday as follows:
1) Went to my last class.
2) Hung out while SLaw went suit shopping and met up with a friend for lunch. (Ate lunch while waiting.)
3) Met up with my cousin downtown for lunch. Ate lunch number 2, and popcorn. Accidentally bought a new suit, because it was there and so was I.
4) Met up with a bunch of people for drinks, after the afternoon class finished. Ate nachos.
5) Went out for dinner with JPMC and Min. (Ate dinner.)
6) Walked around Min's former school and my former orchestra rehearsal neighbourhood for a bit. Ate ice cream.
7) Went home. Ate dinner #2.

It was a good food day. *grin*

This weekend I have been rehearsing, playing Sims 2, and watching dvds. Happy Feet has one of my favourite old WB clips in the special features! ("I like to sing-a. About the moon-a and the June-a and the spring-a.") I also ordered tickets for the Just for Laughs Festival, which I'm going to see with mom! Very exciting!  - posted by Purple Mangos @ 11:27 p.m. @ 

 
Finally, a weird but true story to tell! (It's been awhile since I've had one of those, hasn't it?) Today was my last classroom assessment, but because I had some other work to do, I didn't get around to working on it until late last night. I probably got about 3 hours of sleep, so I was a little groggy while I was outside the classroom at 9am waiting for my scheduled time. For the assessment, the instructors aren't able to play the roles of the client or witness or whoever, so actual lawyers from the city come in and volunteer their time to handle that part of things. For some reason, while I was sitting outside the classroom, I got the idea that it would be really strange to walk into the classroom and find out that one of the actors was from my firm. The more I thought about it, the more sure I became that it was really going to happen. Imagine my surprise.... when I was right! Can you believe it?!

Anyway, I was nervous to start with and not looking my best after so little sleep, but I got through it fine and got some good comments from both the lawyer and my instructor. *phew* Still, I know for a fact that she's going to go back to the firm at the end of the day and tell all the other lawyers something along the lines of "You'll never guess who I saw today! That's right, and she did blah blah blah and said such and such." *sigh* I expect to be hearing about it when I start work in a few weeks. What are the odds?  - posted by Purple Mangos @ 3:21 p.m. @ 

 
I know I don't usually post videos, but anyone who hasn't seen this yet is really missing out!

Victor Borge, Dean Martin, and phonetic punctuation to music:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N7L02tCNi0I&mode=related&search=  - posted by Purple Mangos @ 1:55 a.m. @ 

 
Look out everyone, mangos are on the road! Just kidding. I am actually a very good driver. Probably because I grew up watching everything you're not supposed to do on the road and why you're not supposed to do it. (Major accidents outside my house on a regular basis.) I can always predict what the traffic around me is going to do, which is also why I always (always always) check my blindspot before doing anything, which has turned out to be a very good habit to get into. I can handle traffic, public transport vehicles, emergency vehicles and suicidal pedestrians without blinking. Just assume that whatever can go wrong, will, and it won't... if that makes sense. :)

Unfortunately, I am not a good parker, although I seem to be very lucky when I am actually looking for a spot. It's only when I'm practicing parking properly (parallel) that I am horrible. I can never see where the other car (actually, it's a box on a folding table) is and I can't see where the curb (or grass, when practicing... less hard on the wheels) is, either, so trying to stay away from one and get reasonably close to the other is an interesting experiment. Apparently, being very short is not condusive to good parking. Oh well. I have another month to practice before I have to do it for a road test. Wish me luck. In the meantime, I hope my luck holds out and I keep finding spots that I can drive into whenever I need to stop anywhere.  - posted by Purple Mangos @ 1:08 a.m. @